Hoop iron clamping member



Jan. 27, 1959 E. BORBE 2,870,504

HOOP IRON CLAMPING MEMBER Filed Oct. 11, 1954 INVENTOR. .f/f/Cf/ BQRBEUnited states Patent HOOP IRON CLAMPING MEMBER Erich Borb, Zurich,Switneriand Application Gctober 11, 1954, Serial No. 461,570 Claimspriority, application Switzerland October 13, 1953 2 Claims. ((11.24-23) The present invention relates to a clamping member for hoop ironsuch as used to hold together containers of all kinds, in whichconnection of the ends is effected by means of an enclosing clampingmember formed of sheet metal which is compressed together with the saidends and firmly connected by lateral indentations and bent projections.It has been found that the clamping member bulges upwardly when theindentation is pro duced so that an edge protruding from the face of theband is formed, which is particularly undesirable in stacking since suchprotrusions slide badly one on the other and cause mutual damage. Theseprotruding edges may also cause injuries when the containers aretransported.

The present invention has for its object to provide means eliminatingthese drawbacks. It consists in that the front and rear ends of theportion forming the upper face of the clamping member are bent inwardsin such a manner that the inwardly projecting edge of the member endsengage the hoop when the said clamping member has been closed. Theclamping member blanks are vpre-bent to suit the type of closing meansemployed.

Some embodiments of the invention are shown in the enclosed drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 shows a pre-bent clamping member blank for use in a closing meanshaving a clamp magazine Fig. 2 shows a pro-bent clamping member blankdesigned to be slipped over and closed over the hoop ends by means of asimple closing tool or a pair of closing pliers;

Fig. 3 shows a clamping member blank having serrated ends;

Fig. 4 shows a clamping member blank having rounded lobes;

Figs. 5 and 6 show further shapes of the bent ends, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of two hoop ends con nected by a clampingmember according to the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing there is disclosed ablank in Fig. 1 having flaps or end pieces 2 extending from surface 1and inwards along the axis or line 2a. The bent'ends 2 may be punched soas to have a plain edge as shown in Fig. 1. Two lateral tongues 3 areeach bent to form an angle smaller than 90 with the top surface 1 sothat the blanks thus constructed can be stacked in a tool withoutintermediate spaces. The edges 4 of the lateral tongues 3 areadvantageously rounded.

The blank 5 as shown in Fig. 2 has L-shaped tongues formed of sideportions 6 and bottom portions 7 and is pre-bent so as to form an opensleeve which may be slipped over the steel hoop ends to be connectedtherewith by means of a simple closing device or a pair of closingpliers.

The blank according to Fig. 3 has flaps 8 having serrated edges. Theflaps 8 extend from two opposite end edges of the surface 1 at acuteangles with respect thereto and project therefrom a predetermineddistance.

The bent end pieces of the blank shown in Fig. 4 have a plurality ofrounded lobes 9 extending from surface 1 at acute angles.

The flaps 10 of the blank shown in Fig. 5 are arcuate in shape andextend from surface 1 at acute angles.

As shown in Fig. 6 the flaps 11 may be convex in the direction of thehoop.

When the blank as shown in Fig. l is closed, only the edges 26 of theflaps 2 will engage or wedge against the top steel hoop 12 at first, andthe surface 1 will engage the hoop 12 only when the blank is closed.

Being pro-bent, the flaps 2 are resilient and permit the edge 26 toengage the hoop 12 tightly even if the blank opens somewhat afterclosing. This ensures a smooth transition from hoop 12 to the blank asclearly visible in Fig. 7, so that the drawbacks of former constructionsmentioned above are obviated.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that suchobvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patents is:

1. A closure member for a hoop iron, said closure member being adaptedto be arranged in a stack and comprising a punched and pro-bent sheetmetal body provided with a fiat and smooth top surface for applicationto a hoop iron, a pair of flaps extending from two opposite end edges ofsaid surface at acute angles with respect thereto and projectingtherefrom a predetermined distance for resiliently engaging a hoop iron,and tongues extending transversely to said flaps and from said topsurface, said tongues having opposite portions laterally extendingbeyond said surface at acute angles thereto, said tongues being adaptedto be tucked around said hoop irons below said top surface whereby saidflaps provide a substantially smooth transition between said top surfaceand a hoop iron.

2. A closure member for a hoop iron, said closure member being adaptedto be arranged in a stack and comprising a punched and pre-bent sheetmetal body provided with a flat and smooth top surface for applicationto a hoop iron, a pair of flaps extending from two opposite end edges ofsaid surface at acute angles with respect thereto and projectingtherefrom a predetermined distance for resiliently engaging a hoop iron,and tongues extending transversely to said flaps and from said topsurface, said tongues having opposite portions laterally extendingbeyond said surface at acute angles thereto, said tongues being adaptedto be tucked around said hoop irons below said top surface whereby saidflaps provide a substantially smooth transition between said top surfaceand a hoop iron, said flaps being convex in shape with edges thereofremote from said top surface being the portions of said flaps engageablewith a hoop 1ron.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS151,483 Flickinger June 2, 1874 1,031,188 Law July 2, 1912 1,260,016Norton Mar. 19, 1918 2,084,063 Rebichon et a1 June 17, 1937 FOREIGNPATENTS 33,024 Netherlands June 15, 1934 Patented Jan. 27, 1959;;

